Category Archives: Uncategorized

Our right to suffer

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Is it right that we should think to appear before the Lord unscathed?  He was hung as a butcher might hang beef.  In his plight they only laughed and taunted him.  On the way to his glory he was rejected and despised.  Few listened to his words.  Few understood.  Few were willing to believe even though God gave him superior gifts as a sign to all men; the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit was upon him .

We are to be his bride.  Is it right that the bride of the Holy One of God should be less tested?  Jesus is the Holy One sent to be among us .  He is forever the strong husband of a beautiful bride.

Let her be prepared in this place of testing.  Desire him.  Desire the will of the Holy Father.  And you will be purified.

The father has selected you for a great place in eternity.  If the greatest among all has been tested as was Jesus, do we think we should escape a similar persecution?  Bring to mind the testimony of two great Witnesses:

12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. . .” And, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Submit then joyfully.  God is true.  Allow him to bring glory to His Son.  And do not shrink back.

“But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

By His Grace

Appropriate desire

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You want to live.  You want to be at peace.  No one wants to die.  We desire life aggressively.  Because we know we will die, we seek to live as much as possible.

Even though life is rarely pleasant, for each day has sufficient trouble, we prefer our trouble over death.  This is not unreasonable.  As the sky is above the earth, so the desire to live drives us.

But what shall we do while we live?  Shall we chase after pleasure?  You can do that if it so pleases you.  But no gained pleasure has any effect on death.

Pleasure is our will.  We want it so that we can be at peace while we wait for death.  But I am not aware of a single pleasure among men that will give us sufficient peace to offset the pain of death.  Mention one and we will discover together the end of its pleasantness.  Man is completely incapable of providing lasting pleasure.

With that said, there is a pleasure which will last.  It is not the pleasure our body seeks.  For the body lusts after things that give it joy; no matter how temporary or small.  To find fulfillment is to find a pleasure that will last for eternity; therefore overriding the sting of death.

Now I introduce to you the Living God.  He is eternal because what pleases him last forever.  Jesus, His Son, has sacrificed Himself so that we may take part in what pleases His Father.  What the Father desires is called his will.  And as much as we take part in the will of God we find pleasure that will not cave to death.  The body will die but the will of God lives forever.

Admittedly the body will argue against the will of God.  For the body will always surmise that it knows better what is good.  Eating is better than fasting.  Being first is better than being last.  Power and pride is better than humility and service.  Riches are immensely better than poverty.  You can see the war that is sure to ensue.

Jesus teaches the exact opposite of what our body desires.  But our body will enter death and cease.  Our soul will continue on.  The pleasure of the body comes to end.  But the pleasure of God lives forever.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold it.”

If you want lasting pleasure and peace you must learn to submit yourself to the will of God.  No matter what that means.

You may say you are not prepared.  Perhaps you are not willing to give up the pleasure of the body.  Then by all means die in your pleasure.  The choice is upon every man.

I have laid out, as clearly as possible, the difference between life and death.  I know personally how difficult it is to lay down the desires of the body.  But the peace God gives within my soul is worth every effort, every possible loss, and every possible pleasure.

Believe and submit and you will live.  Continue to trust the body to guide you and you will die.  The choice is obviously yours.

By His Grace

Unquenchable desire

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There is a desire in me that I did not put there.  I did not gather the fuel.  I did not strike the spark.  I had no means to fan it into flame.  But an unquenchable and immense flame rages in my soul.  The roar of it threatens to explode my body.  The desire to share the Gospel will not cease. 

One day I said I will bottle it up.  Fear that I was misled, misled me.  “I will give it no street on which to leave.  I will lock closed my lips.  And I will restrain it with all my might.” But it burst through my bonds as if a hurtling ball of iron through tissue paper.  I am helpless to contain it.

So I said I will give it all room, all help, all speed and all attention.  But I find it is not enough.  Where are those who hear?  Where are the changed lives to dance through this world before my very eyes?  However, even while I ask, understanding blazes forth with a great and unmistakable roar.

The unquenchable desire of God to save souls is not concerned with the appearance of one or two.  He desires that all should be saved.  He will not subside the blazing inferno within until I leave this place.

Then let me rest in discomfort.  Let my soul be disquieted with desire.  Cause my will to explode, O Lord!  By all means may the Holy will of God be done!

By His Grace

To live in the body

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To see all things from flesh requires a life of severe limitations.  You are at the mercy of everyone else’s desire.  You live in fear of your own feet and hands.  If you swallow you may choke.  You must conform to survive.  It is a life lead in utter hopelessness.  And you find only strength enough to survive.

Your belly dictates your day.  Sleep interrupts your productivity.  Pleasure is your god; a god of complete unpredictability.  One day you want this.  Another day you want that.  And most days you find yourself craving things that contradict one another.  At the same time you are enticed to things you cannot have.

With life so full of demands, and your body so inept to provide, you are helplessly tossed in every direction without the slightest recourse.  Full and irreparable destruction awaits you if illness attends your days.

If someone says to you, “We must!”, you are forced to obey or pay dreadful consequences.  Nothing in life is for you.  Everything and everyone is against you.  You must consume to survive.  While billions are forced to do the same.  Your only resource is lies.  “I deserve and need this!  Stand away from my desire!  I am more important than you!”

With all of this against you, you submit.  But submission is not what your god demands.  “Conquer for me.  Supply my desire.  I am your god you will do my bidding or you will die.” 

What hope is there then?  You cannot please yourself and you cannot please your god.  He does not supply.  Yet he demands all.  You can barely supply for yourself on certain days of your life.  Why would you continue to serve in such a life?

All the while you struggle in a futile embrace with poverty and death, there is a hope you have ignored.  Some have even considered their god to be the living God.  How should they conclude otherwise?  It is all they know and they do not look for more.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11: 28-30)

Ask of us and we will tell you what it is like to live outside the body.  With all that presses upon you why would you let pride stop you from asking?  Why would you let ignorance stand in the way?

We stand among you and testify that there is a life of freedom from oppression.  And if you are not able to swallow your pride, then read for yourself.

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  (John 7)

By His Grace

Strength to Heal

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Break a lazy man’s leg and he may waste away to nothing.  He will favor his injury until he begins to die from lack of exercise.  Break a diligent man’s leg and he will begin to walk on it long before it heals.  It doesn’t matter to him that he may limp for the rest of his life.  He will not sit for a “slight injury”.

Reprove a fool and he will waste away for lack of knowledge.  Reprove a diligent and wise godly man and he will leap up to render corrected service to his Lord.

Honorable Mention

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There are two blogs I follow which are worthy of honorable mention.  One is http://togodbetheglorybettysverseoftheday.wordpress.com/  And the other is  http://www.soulsupply.com/

The instruction we receive regarding the sources of our help is that we should share all good things with those from whom we have received instruction.

It is impossible that these two reverent Christians should accept praise.  But they have labored vigorously to glorify our Lord.  I give them mention here that their work might prosper before the Holy Lord of Life.  We labor together in an undefined field.  We cast seed into the Holy Wind.  Where it goes belongs to the One who has given the seed.

They spread a table from which good nourishment might be found.  Go and eat.  They provide the delicacies of eternal life.